Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, addressed the 100 Cube Conclave at IIM Sambalpur today. He also inaugurated the I-Hub foundation at IIM Sambalpur that has been established to identify the need for a dedicated entity for incubation. Director, IIM Sambalpur, Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal; Director, IIM Mumbai, Prof. Manoj Tiwari; academicians, industry leaders, innovators and students were also present at the event. A short film of 100 Cube and I-Hub Foundation was also shown during the event. Several MoUs were exchanged between industry partners and IIM Sambalpur and IIM Mumbai for the establishment of the Center of Management Education in Angul.

While addressing the gathering Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that being a knowledge-based and technology-driven economy, within a decade we must become job creators, going beyond being job seekers, he emphasised. 100 Cube Odisha is not just an initiative but a sentiment, a mass movement for fostering a new culture of ideas and innovation, harnessing the talent and creative endeavours of Yuva Shakti and transforming Odisha into a powerhouse of entrepreneurship, he stressed.

As a precursor to the 100 Cube Startup Conclave, a CSR Meet was held to connect socially responsible corporate entities to raise support to aid budding sustainable business practices. The event was held virtually on 28th February 2024. Key focus areas of this meet were Textiles, Arts & Culture, Agriculture, Healthcare, Financial & Digital inclusivity, Tribal Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Entrepreneurship.

100 Cube Startup Conclave is a vibrant symposium of startups, industry, academics, government, students and many more. It aims to create 100 Start-ups each with an average worth of Rs. 100 crore by the time Odisha celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2036. Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, on 11 February 2024, inaugurated the initiative at IIT Bhubaneswar, Research and Entrepreneurship Park (REP). The event was attended by Ministry officials, representatives of foreign governments, delegates from the industry, particularly the deep tech sector, academia, start-ups, students, and other eminent business leaders.

The I-Hub foundation inaugurated today will operate as a physical and virtual incubator and accelerator while networking with the various trenches of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The incubator will focus on the idea that not only generate wealth but will be a social benefactor. The foundation will operate in social areas and support enterprises in a multi-faceted form to enable social growth. The incubator will work as a facilitator and drive the growth of India to achieve Viksit Bharat. It will provide support to various types of startups and MSMEs as an incubator and accelerator.

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